Friday, May 31, 2013

With most NBA teams on vacation it’s time for general managers from around the league to make a play at improving the teams roster. While many teams are and will be over the cap for years to come the next couple of years are sure to be fun. The next two years will find players like Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and more. Selecting the right free agent can boost your teams chances at contending for titles for years to come. So it’s time to look at some players who will be available this free agency period.
Chris Paul
Chris Paul is certainly one of the top point guards in the NBA. He has the ability to score, set up teammates, and finish games. While most of his numbers were down last season with the L.A. Clippers, Chris Paul still lead his team to the playoffs and thought to be a favorite to make it to the finals out of the west. So where will Chris Paul go? I believe that he will resign with the Clippers. The L.A. Clippers will have some free money to invest in a shooter or two. With the right coach this will continue to be one of the top teams in the west.
But if he decides to leave the Clippers, there are still some good destinations to choose from. There is the Dallas Mavericks who have enough cash for both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. The three could make a deep run in the playoffs with their skill sets.

Will Howard stay with the Lakers?
If not the Lakers then who? Dwight Howard
After a season filled with injuries and unanswered questions Dwight Howard is still one of the top rated centers in the NBA. Howard’s points per game and rebounds per game took a small dip, but could improve depending on which team he decides to sign with. If the Lakers are willing to trade Pau Gasol, they could resign Dwight Howard and also add a shooter or two around him.
If he decides to leave Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas have the best chances of landing him. I believe that Chris Paul and Dwight Howard are almost like a package deal. If either player leaves L.A. it would have to be for the same destination for the two to have a chance of winning. Click here for the full story.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

With the Newyork Knicks losing to the Indiana Pacers Sat. night it brought to an end the season that was suppose to see them beat the Miami Heat. This was the year were they played the Miami Heat for a chance to go to the NBA finals. The stage was set, the Newyork Knicks had home court, the leading scorer in the NBA, and one of the best 6th man in the league. So what went wrong? You could blame the newyorkknicks problems on a number of things. Their style of play, lack of rebounding, missed shots, or bad coaching. Each of these reasons could be right, but at a closer look it’s there team leader which could be the problem.

For the first time in his career Carmelo Anthony lead a team he has played for out of the first round. While it seemed to be a great feat, the Newyork Knicks showed a lack of interest that is needed for a championship team. The problem is that while he is a great one on one offensive talent, but his style of play promotes a stagnant offense. Once the ball is in his hands 9 times out of 10 he is going to put up a shot. When you examine some of the top teams in the league the Bulls, Heat,Spurs, and the Thunder you will see great ball movement with multiple players touching the ball with each possession. Going back to his days with the Denver Nuggets, Carmelo has played the exact same way with great statistics for him, but does not prove well in the playoffs. One on one isolation plays kill possessions as the waste precious second off of the shot clock, and takes away the flow of the offense. He plays lazy basketball and settles for to many long range jumpers which turn into fast break chances for the opposing team.

2c-I or smiles is a rather new street drug that has started to gain more fame and substance abuse in the us. Smiles is a very potent drug, and have abuse effects that can give the user a high lasting anywhere from 4 hours to a couple of days and also has a high rate of addiction. It is said to bring on strong moments of hallucinations during the substance use and misuse. Abuse effects first seen in the early 2000’s and has already been banned in countries like the Netherlands and other European countries because of it’s high risk of user overdose and strong level of addiction. It has been seen in a couple of different forms, one form resembles bath salt or Epson salt which can be snorted or ingested. The other form is a tablet form which can be easily ingested. It is said that the drug is much like LSD, but even more potent when this substance use & misuse.

The abuse effects has already cost many young people their lives because of the strong effects associated with the drug. Johnny Lewis, an actor from the show Sons of Anarchy is said to have had a very strong violent reaction to the drug. He is said to have killed his landlord and then himself after substance use & misuse. The abuse effects of the drug vary from person to person. Some have complain of muscle tension, diarrhea, and nausea to strong hallucinations and night terrors during substance use and misuse. As stated before they can last up to a couple of days which can be a scary experience. Though not confirmed, some doctors believe that a strong enough dose of this drug could send the user into a stroke because of the extreme rate that the drug raises the users blood pressure. There has not been very much research done on this drug so there are still allot that is unknown. Click here to read the full article.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Many sports writers and NBA scouts believe that Andrew Wiggins, the high school basketball star who recently committed to the University of Kansas could be the next Lebron James. Kansas has been great at recruiting high school basketball talent and it only get’s better. The 6ft. 7in 205lb have many anticipating his arrival not only to Kansas, but also what would be his eventual step up to the NBA shortly after that. Andrew Wiggins Named 2012-13 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year and one of high school basketball top ten recruits, has a great frame, foot work, and a great touch around the basket.

Wiggins who was born in Toronto, Ontario is the son of former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins who played for the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, and the Philadelphia 76ers scored over 3,877 points for his career. Mitchell Wiggins was also suspended for 2 1/2 years from the NBA for testing positive for cocaine. The Canadian born star has big shoes to fill when it comes to living up to the expected hype that will surround him for the rest of his career. Many will want to see Wiggins improve his shooting, get stronger, and work on his defense.